Count down Champions: it's the hunt for the PSG dream team

The countdown proceeds inexorably: on Tuesday 14th the most sparkling edition of the Champions League starts with the four English teams and Bayern in search of the favorite PSG dream team. The summer of portents inflamed the market: Lukaku to Chelsea, Messi to PSG, the returns of Ronaldo to Manchester United and Griezmann to Atletico, in addition to the 115 million spent by City for the promising Grealish. Bayern gave Leipzig 15 million to free the talented coach Nagelsmann, for the reconstruction Real Madrid recalled the architect of the tenth Champions, Carlo Ancelotti. Participating in the event in full economic crisis, perhaps for the first time in decades in a marginal position, is Barcelona that crossed out Messi who wanted to stay by halving his salary.

The trio of wonders is preparing for the Champions catwalk: at the Barca of the golden times Messi and Neyran duet with Suarez, now at the PSG there is Mbappe 'for which 200 million of Real have been refused, but the Parisians perhaps they will lose on a free transfer. For now, however, Pochettino and Leonardo are enjoying the super team that has acquired Donnarumma (for now on the bench), Hakimi, Sergio Ramos and Wijnaldum .. They are the obligatory favorites in front of the English four and Bayern.

The Chelsea champions have placed Lukaku and Saul in a super competitive group that thinks first of all to win the Premier. Big expenses also for United which finds Cr7 after having already inserted Varane in defense and Sancho forward for 125 million so as to be able to compete on a par with City that has 'punctured' Kane but bled for Grealish. Liverpool have added Konate to a defense that recovers Van Dijk and appear to be able to count on the reassured Firmino-Salah-Mane 'trio. The sixth favorite is Nagelsmann's Bayern and the super bomber Lewandowski who has inserted Upamecano in place of Alaba.

In the background, but up to a certain point, another group of protagonists: Ancelotti's Real without Sergio Ramos, but with his historical group and a regenerated Bale; Atletico Liga champion who strengthened with Griezmann and De Paul; the Leipzig of Dani Olmo and Andre 'Silva (who changes owners but is always competitive); Haaland's Dortmund but without Sancho, who incorporated Malen. Next to them Allegri's Juve without Cr7 but with the usual solid staff, Inzaghi's Inter with Dzeko, Correa and Dumfries. Question mark the Barca senza Messi which focuses on many young talents.

The iron group is the B which includes Atletico and Liverpool favorites with Porto and Milan which will make it fascinating, but also the group A with Leipzig to undermine City and Psg. Inter and Real in D will have to be wary of De Zerbi's Shakhtar, as Bayern and Barcelona will have to beware of the expert Benfica.

Balanced and with less appeal are group C (Dortmund favored with Sporting, Ajax and Pjanic's Besiktas to fight for second place) and G (Sevilla the most popular that will face Lille, Salzburg and Wolfsburg almost on the same level floor). The six-day group stage will take place from 14 September to 8 December. Then eighth from February 15th until the final on May 28th in St. Petersburg. The big news is the abolition of the away goal which is worth double for the same goal difference in elimination matches. A rule that has marked the history of the competition and is now retiring.

These are the eight groupings of the 2021-2022 Champions League group stage, as defined by the UEFA draw in Istanbul.

Gr. A: Manchester City, Psg, Leipzig, Bruges

Gr. B: Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Porto,

Gr. C: Sporting Lisbon, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax, Besiktas

Gr. D:

, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Sheriff Tiraspol

Gr. E: Bayern Munich, Barcelona, ​​Benfica, Dinamo Kiev

Gr. F: Villareal, Manchester United,

, Young Boys

Gr. G: Lille, Seville, Salzburg, Wolfsburg

Gr. H: Chelsea,

, Zenit St. Petersburg, Malmoe